Poodle Grooming Q & A Session (2)

When it comes to taking care of your pet Poodle, grooming her curly locks may be the most challenging part. Below are more questions about grooming a Poodle.

1. Clipping my Poodle isn’t really much trouble until I get to her feet. Why is she so jumpy about it and what can I do to make the job easier?

Many Poodles are extremely sensitive about having their feet clipped, especially the front ones. I think that the first few grooming sessions set the pattern for this sensitivity. You may never be able to change him now, even if you manage to develop a gentle touch with the clipper.

It is important to hold the weight of the clipper in your hand instead of resting it on your dog’s foot while you clip. Pull the hair away from the toenail with your fingers so the clipper can pick it up easily.

Do not dig it out with the sharp points of the blade. When you clean the hair from between the toes, let your finger separating the pads beneath the toes protrude just enough to protect the web. Any dog that has been poked and cut will always flinch, so it may be necessary to get someone to hold the leg at the elbow to prevent movement.

2. Everyone tells me that I should show my new Poodle puppy. Should I do anything special about his clipping?

I believe that getting involved with a kennel club and learning all of the ins-and-outs from them is one of the best ways to go about this concern. There is much more to being a show dog than meets the eye. This includes expending lots of energy and time. In the meanwhile, be sure any groomer who clips your puppy knows you intend to show her so the groomer won’t cut the hair you will need later.

3. My Poodle’s teeth need to be professionally cleaned by the vet once or twice a year. Is there any way I can keep from having to have this done? She refuses to chew bones.

In the first place, chewing bones is not always all that effective, and, of course, you have to be very careful about that anyway. I have seen dogs that chew that have terrible teeth and dogs that don’t and have beautiful teeth. The best solution is to brush your dog’s teeth everyday using a baby toothbrush. If this is too much for you, then continuing your regular trips to the vet is the next best solution.